To me, a field trip to a gun show for a nursing home seemed unnecessary. Most nursing homes would already have some security, making the residents having guns unnecessary. Also, at nursing homes seniors tend to have more health issues then the senior population how are still living at home. Thus, giving them guns could be a bit dangerous.

I am amazed at the fact the nursing home sponsored the trip to the gun show and allowed the residents to purchase guns and store them in the facility. I have cared for many elderly and know they have tricks and can get anything past you that they want, they are by no means children. This should not have occurred, and the responsibility of this incident should fall directly on the shoulders of the nursing home. Especially considering the amount of staff needed to care for the elderly in the residential facility, the guns should have been found and dealt with.

In the case of the elderly, still living at home, they should still be able to bear their arms. Their family should be involved with that decision, however. Law enforcement should be able to revoke the gun, as in any case, if there is misuse. As that is their right, and everyone has varying abilities at any age. We must take care in over-generalization with our legal rights.

~Victoria M.L. McMillen

"You can, you should, and if you are brave enough to start, you will." Stephen King

It certainly seems to me like this was more of a plot device than anything. In the real world, I really hope such a field trip would be met with public outcry. I suppose it could be sponsored, though, and depending on the publicity surrounding it, it also could be spun in a way that's good for the gun show.

This seems like such a strange "field trip" for a resident home of any kind, much less for those who may have dementia issues.

I have worked with a number of organizations in the social services sector. These have covered a range of residential settings, including those for the elderly. This type of field trip is not one I have come across in any of those facilities. I would have remembered if I had, as I would have found it disturbing. I'm not sure if it happens but I wouldn't think it is common. So, that leaves me wondering if this was just a plot device the author used to set up later events in the book?

So I wonder if calling it a "field trip" matters? Are they packing all the residents up and requiring them to participate or is it an opt in kind of situation? I got the impression that while a home for the elderly with some autonomy, which makes them functioning adults with the ability to choose to attend or not. It doesn't sound like a place where the residents were necessarily happy and I do think given the communal living arrangements there should be policies in place for gun ownership - maybe a gun locker where they would check in their guns?

I really don't feel we need guns as defence weapon. A lot of people has been romanticising the use of it, especially media and entertainment shows (at least on my opinion). Dealing with this kind of influencer helps shift the mindset of the majority. Maybe and just maybe, through this, we get to leave the idea of needing gun.

I have a pretty strong opinion on this. After extensive reading on the subject, I still just don’t understand how people seem to think they need guns. At the end of the day, these weapons cause more harm than good and I frankly think it’s disturbing and ridiculous that he was permitted to buy guns and bring them back to a communal setting.

Naturally, I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, but there are times and places for guns and a Senior Citizen’s Home is not one of them.

I agree. What a bizarre idea, to take groups of people to a gun show! Actually, even holding gun shows is bizarre. Such events are clearly only about increased sales and avoid/decry/ignore any manufacturer’s responsibility for how the weapons are used.

I think that the author is challenging readers with a range of attitudes and events, including the field trip to the gun show. If people can see the stupidity of such an event then I believe the author has been successful. Follow-up thinking would involve challenging other areas where gun use, gun sales, and gun promotion is completely unnecessary and/or dangerous.

Facilities reserve the right in all states to prohibit residents from having lethal weapons. I can't imagine, for example, a facility for Alzheimer's patients allowing guns. But a retirement community is not a nursing home. So it is entirely possible that they would be allowed.

My initial reaction to this is "No! Don't take them to a gun show!" But really I don't get to dictate that kind of stuff. I do think though that having guns in a place where people live communally like old age facilities, hospice centres, etc. shouldn't be allowed. My mind immediately goes to people with dementia or alzheimer's who might, through no fault of their own, have some kind of episode with a gun.

I agree completely! I cannot believe they took them to the gun show in the first place and then to allow the purchase of guns is absolutely crazy- and probably farfetched. I have to believe there is a policy against guns on these premises.

~Victoria M.L. McMillen

"You can, you should, and if you are brave enough to start, you will." Stephen King

Facilities reserve the right in all states to prohibit residents from having lethal weapons. I can't imagine, for example, a facility for Alzheimer's patients allowing guns. But a retirement community is not a nursing home. So it is entirely possible that they would be allowed.

I think if you are in a nursing home then there should not be trips to the gun show unless it is one on one chaperoning. Mainly because some of those individuals do have a mental illness that absolutely should disqualify anyone from getting a firearm. I also believe that there is enough security that if safety is an issue then it is the nursing homes responsibility to address it.